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USDA eligibility map: Minnesota

About 96.8% of Minnesota's area is in USDA-eligible rural areas, by HeritageDeed's estimate from USDA Rural Development's published eligibility map, the 19th highest share among the 50 states, DC and Puerto Rico. 68 of 87 counties have no ineligible area at all, and Anoka County, Hennepin County and Ramsey County are entirely ineligible. 151 Census places in Minnesota lie mostly inside ineligible areas, including East Bethel city, Minneapolis city, St. Paul city, Scandia city and Lakeville city.

96.8%
of the area is USDA eligible (estimate)
2,674
square miles mapped ineligible
68 of 87
counties with no ineligible area
151
Census places mostly ineligible

Check a Minnesota address

USDA eligible area by county

The share of each county's area that is USDA eligible, and the places (cities, towns and census-designated places) at least half inside ineligible areas. These are estimates; check any single property with the lookup.

USDA eligible share of area and mostly ineligible places by county in Minnesota
countyArea eligibleMostly ineligible places
Aitkin County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Anoka County0%East Bethel city, Columbus city, Ham Lake city, Oak Grove city, Nowthen city, Andover city, Blaine city, Lino Lakes city, and 13 more
Becker County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Beltrami County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Benton County97.3%Sauk Rapids city
Big Stone County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Blue Earth County97.4%Mankato city, Skyline city
Brown County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Carlton County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Carver County82.7%Chanhassen city, Chaska city, Victoria city, Carver city
Cass County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Chippewa County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Chisago County95.1%Wyoming city
Clay County97.6%Moorhead city, Dilworth city
Clearwater County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Cook County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Cottonwood County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Crow Wing County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Dakota County60.1%Lakeville city, Rosemount city, Eagan city, Inver Grove Heights city, Burnsville city, Apple Valley city, Farmington city, Hastings city, and 7 more
Dodge County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Douglas County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Faribault County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Fillmore County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Freeborn County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Goodhue County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Grant County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Hennepin County0%Minneapolis city, Bloomington city, Corcoran city, Plymouth city, Eden Prairie city, Maple Grove city, Independence city, Minnetrista city, and 34 more
Houston County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Hubbard County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Isanti County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Itasca County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Jackson County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Kanabec County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Kandiyohi County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Kittson County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Koochiching County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Lac qui Parle County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Lake County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Lake of the Woods County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Le Sueur County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Lincoln County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Lyon County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Mahnomen County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Marshall County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Martin County100%None: the whole county is eligible
McLeod County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Meeker County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Mille Lacs County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Morrison County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Mower County98.1%Austin city, Mapleview city
Murray County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Nicollet County98.5%North Mankato city
Nobles County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Norman County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Olmsted County91.4%Rochester city
Otter Tail County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Pennington County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Pine County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Pipestone County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Polk County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Pope County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Ramsey County0%St. Paul city, Maplewood city, Roseville city, Shoreview city, Arden Hills city, White Bear Lake city, North Oaks city, Vadnais Heights city, and 7 more
Red Lake County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Redwood County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Renville County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Rice County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Rock County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Roseau County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Scott County82.0%Shakopee city, Prior Lake city, Savage city
Sherburne County89.2%Elk River city
Sibley County100%None: the whole county is eligible
St. Louis County95.5%Hibbing city, Duluth city, Hermantown city, Proctor city
Stearns County96.0%St. Cloud city, Waite Park city, Sartell city
Steele County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Stevens County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Swift County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Todd County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Traverse County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Wabasha County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Wadena County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Waseca County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Washington County0.3%Scandia city, Cottage Grove city, Hugo city, Woodbury city, Forest Lake city, Afton city, Grant city, Lake Elmo city, and 17 more
Watonwan County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Wilkin County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Winona County95.8%Winona city, Goodview city, Minnesota City city
Wright County89.1%St. Michael city, Otsego city, Hanover city, Albertville city, Rockford city
Yellow Medicine County100%None: the whole county is eligible

How USDA decides what is rural

The rural-area definition is section 520 of the Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1490): open country and places not part of or associated with an urban area with up to 2,500 people, up to 10,000 if rural in character, or up to 20,000 outside a metropolitan statistical area with a serious lack of mortgage credit for lower and moderate-income families. Areas that lost rural status in the 1990 to 2020 censuses stay rural until 2030 census data arrive if they have 10,000 to 35,000 people and meet the same conditions. Income is a separate test, applied to the household by the lender and USDA.

For other address-level designations in Minnesota, the free census tract lookup shows the income level and QCT and DDA status, and Minnesota has 128 designated Opportunity Zone tracts (Opportunity Zone lookup).

Questions

Is Minnesota eligible for USDA loans?

Much of it is. About 96.8% of the state's area is outside USDA's ineligible areas (2,674 of about 84,174 square miles are ineligible). 68 counties are entirely eligible. Most people live in the larger towns, which are often ineligible, so check the specific address.

Which Minnesota counties have the least USDA eligible area?

Anoka County (0% eligible), Hennepin County (0% eligible), Ramsey County (0% eligible), Washington County (0.3% eligible), Dakota County (60.1% eligible). The share is of land area, by HeritageDeed's estimate from USDA's map; eligibility is decided for each property.

Which Minnesota towns are not eligible for USDA loans?

Places USDA's map shows as mostly inside an ineligible area include East Bethel city, Minneapolis city, St. Paul city, Scandia city, Lakeville city, Shakopee city, Chanhassen city and St. Michael city. The county table on this page lists every place that is mostly ineligible. Edges matter: part of a town, or land just outside it, can be on the other side of the line, so check the address.

How do I check a Minnesota address for USDA eligibility?

Enter the street address in the lookup on this page. It locates the address and checks it against USDA's published rural eligibility map. It is a screening: Rural Development makes the final determination on a complete application, and household income is a separate test (USDA's income eligibility tool).

When was the USDA eligibility map for Minnesota last updated?

The ineligible areas on USDA's map for Minnesota carry an effective date of July 25, 2023. USDA updates the map from ineligible-area changes sent in by its state offices. The statute keeps formerly rural areas of 10,000 to 35,000 people rural until data from the 2030 census arrive, if they still meet its conditions.

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Legal references

Areas are computed by HeritageDeed: estimates, not USDA figures. USDA's map is not a final determination; Rural Development decides on a complete application. HeritageDeed is not affiliated with USDA.

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